Smith: Cougars don’t let up on march into NCAA Tournament

1of3Houston's Chris Harris Jr., right, defends as Connecticut's Josh Carlton shoots in the first half during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Houston at the American Athletic Conference tournament Friday, March 15, 2019, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Troy Glasgow)Photo: Troy Glasgow, FRE / Associated Press

3of3Houston’s Corey Davis Jr., right, tries to add to his game-high total of 22 points during Friday’s rout of Connecticut. The senior guard said the Cougars strive “to have a sense of desperation” when they play.Photo: Troy Glasgow, FRE / Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Sharpen the intensity. Increase the focus.

Even inside a near-empty NBA arena at 11 in the morning. Even during a torching of below .500 Connecticut in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament that the University of Houston can live without.

All that matters for the No. 11 Cougars is the real tourney. March Madness. Finishing a journey that started last November and already has Kelvin Sampson’s squad as the best UH basketball team in more than 30 years.

But the Coogs haven’t forgotten how last season’s Madness ended.

So Corey Davis Jr. owning the hardwood on Friday inside the home of the Memphis Grizzlies?

Sampson coaching like a spot in the NCAA Tournament was on the line with his soaring squad up by 28 points?

Armoni Brooks bouncing upward and sinking another UH 3-pointer?

It was everything the Coogs needed and exactly what Houston is playing for.

Supreme focus as Selection Sunday approaches and the road to Minneapolis heats up. Never letting up and announcing win 30 with a proud scream that couldn’t be ignored.

“That goes back to our culture and the things that we emphasize. … Culture is the way you do everything in your program,” said Sampson, after his team destroyed the Huskies 84-45 during the American Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinals at FedEx Forum.

“I don’t differentiate what tournament or what game. Whether we’re playing Alabama A&M or Oregon, LSU, St. Louis. Whoever we play, my approach is the same.”

Houston shot 46.4 percent (32-of-69) from the field and 43.5 percent (10-of-23) on 3s. Connecticut was held to a humiliating 18.5 percent (5-of-27) from the floor during a second half that saw the Huskies outscored 45-20 and go 0-of-13 on 3s.

And, really, that was it.

Davis was confident with a capital C and electric inside the lines. The Huskies (16-17) couldn’t handle Sampson’s best player and UH followed the lead of its senior guard.

Davis and his Coogs kept it buzzing but cool, attacking and attacking, yet also running the court with smooth rhythm.

“If I had a way to describe, it would be desperate,” said Davis, who scored a game-high 22 points, sank five 3-pointers and collected five rebounds. “We have to have a sense of desperation.”

It was 69-34 when Houston started playing air guitar.

It was a perfect Friday message for the surging Cougars (30-2), who have lost one game in the last two months.

With 6 minutes and 55 seconds left, Sampson began clearing his bench. With two potential games left before Selection Sunday, the Coogs are still trying to show the country how special they can be.

“I knew if I outcompeted (Connecticut’s Jalen Adams), outworked him, I knew I could get my team a chance,” said UH’s Galen Robinson Jr., who scored 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting, distributed five assists and was praised postgame by Sampson. “If you give guys like us a chance, that’s all we need.”

These Cougars became the fourth team in school history with 30 victories. The last was the famed 1983-84 crew powered by Hakeem Olajuwon and coached by Guy Lewis. The previous three that reached 30 all made the Final Four.

Friday was a reminder of how strong UH has been all season.

It was also proof that, if this magical run keeps shining throughout March, the Coogs are just getting started.

“This is us playing to our culture,” Davis said. “We treat every team the same, and we play our hearts out. That goes a long way to us winning.”

Brian T. Smith is a sports columnist for the Houston Chronicle. He has won multiple Associated Press Sports Editors awards and been honored by numerous journalism organizations. Smith was a Houston Texans beat writer for the Chronicle from 2013-15 and an Astros beat writer from 2012-13. The New Orleans-area native previously covered the NBA's Utah Jazz (The Salt Lake Tribune) and Portland Trail Blazers (The Columbian), among other beats. He is the author of the book Liftoff, which documented the Astros' rebuild and 2017 World Series championship.